My Saturday

We had lunch at Rio downtown. We haven't been going there since we like Casa Garcia so much better but it was really good today. And it is closer. Since we were at the mall, it was convenient.

We went to the mall to get Husband a hair cut and some (smaller!) jeans, but his hairdresser called in sick. I picked up some hair products for myself at Trade Secrets. Then we got two pair of jeans for Husband at Penney's.

Then it was off to do grocery shopping. We usually go to the Kroger's closest to us, in Elkview. But I wanted to go to the one in South Hills specifically to see if they had California Pizza Kitchen garlic chicken frozen pizza. Our Elkview has the brand, but they only have 2 kinds (one of which is the sicilian which is EXCELLENT, and has a surprisingly reasonable amount of fat).

I am never going back to the Elkview Kroger again! The South Hills Kroger had all of the CPK pizzas!! We got the sicilian and garlic chicken and margherita. They have a much better selection of EVERYTHING. A wonderful produce section with a large selection of organic. Sushi (yuck). A great meat counter. And best of all, our checkout person was fast and efficient, and we had TWO people bagging our groceries. At my Kroger, I usually bag half our groceries!! And if there is a bagger, they are usually terrible at it. I am a better bagger than most of the Elkview baggers and I am an amateur! LOL It's also nice that they have those check out counters where you don't have to take your groceries out of the cart. Definitely my new grocery store of choice.

After we got home we did a little work outside. Husband got the gutters cleaned out. They were pretty stopped up in the back and the water overflow was washing dirt out of my veggie garden. I used the decaying leaves we got out of them to fill in the garden. I also got my new plants in containers. And moved my pansies to new containers. And weeded a little. I need to get out there and get the side bed weeded and mulched the rest of the way. My cherry parfait roses are blooming, and my yellow rose bush out front is just about blooming.The alyssum I grew from seed is blooming too. I think I'm going to plant it in the front bed, where I also moved my small everblooming daylillies (or whatever they're called). I have purple pansies in that bed too but the slugs eat them all as soon as they bloom!!

ttfn!

25 uses for olive oil

Thanks to a friend, I'm going to try the oil cleansing method and I'll report on that later. But I was wondering what other things I can use olive oil for.

"1. Shave. Olive oil can provide a safe and natural lubricant for a close shave. Rub in an extra teaspoon after washing your body or face once finished. [I got a free sample of some kind of shaving oil and really like it, and I was wondering earlier if I should try olive oil for shaving. So maybe I will!]

2. Wood Furniture Polish. Wipe with a teaspoon of olive oil and a soft rag. Add a bit of vinegar of citrus juice to bulk up the cleaning power, and add a fresh scent.

3. Fingernails. Use a bit of olive oil to moisturize cuticles, or mix oil and water and soak your hands before a manicure.

4. Lubricate Measuring Cups and Spoons. Rub or spray olive oil on your measuring tools for easy clean-up of sticky substances like honey, grain mustards, and sugar syrups,

5. Control hair frizz. Comb a bit of olive oil through dry hair to tame the frizz and flyaways on humid days or in the winter.

6. Free a stuck zipper. Use a cotton swab to apply olive oil to the teeth of a zipper, then gently ease the tab down.

7. Care for your kitty. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to your cat’s food to help prevent hairballs, and provide a shiny coat.

8. DIY Lip balm. Mix olive oil and melted beeswax in a 1:1 ratio, with an essential oil for fragrance, and say goodbye to dry and chapped lips.

9. Stop Snoring. Take a sip of olive oil before heading to bed. It might lubricate your throat muscles, and stop yourself, or your partner, from snoring.

10. Shine stainless steel and brass. Rub a bit of olive oil on a clean rag to prevent streaks, corrosion, and tarnish.

11. Exfoliate your face and hands. Rub your skin with olive oil, then scrub with sugar or coarse salt, and rinse.

12. As you bathe. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to your running bath water. You’ll be amazed when you towel off.

13. Remove makeup. Dab a bit under your eyes, on your cheeks and forehead, then wipe with a damp cloth.

14. Cure an earache. Very carefully, use a cotton swab to apply olive oil to the outside ear cavity to help with earaches and excess wax.

15. Remove paint from your skin. Rub on olive oil onto messy hand and arms (or faces) and allow the oil to soak into the skin for five minutes, then rinse with soap and water.

16. Treat lice. Apply olive oil to your youngster’s hair, and leave on for at least 40 minutes. Shampoo twice, then apply a preventative.

17. Stop a throat tickle. Take a sip of olive oil to stop the itchy flicker that is making you cough.

18. Fix a squeaky door. Use a rag or cotton swab to apply olive oil to the top of a problematic hinge in your home or automobile.

19. Shoe polish. Rub down your shoes with just a spray of olive oil to maintain their shine.

20. Personal Lubricant. It works…

21. Soften your skin. Rub olive oil daily on notoriously dry areas, such as your feet or elbows, especially after a shower, shaving, or waxing.

22. Easy clean up of garden tools. Spritz some olive oil on your tools to cut down on dirt buildup.

23. Condition leather. Rub olive oil into worn leather, such as a baseball glove, and let set for 30 minutes, then wipe away any excess.

24. As a hair tonic. Comb some olive oil through your hair for the vintage look of pomade without the build-up, or add a bit to wet hair for grungy, but clean, look.

25. Cure diaper rash. Gently wipe on olive oil to your baby’s bottom to help with the irritation of diaper rash."

Source: http://www.curbly.com/Chrisjob/posts/1799-25-Alternative-Uses-for-Olive-Oil-

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Lethargic? Take a Walk

"Eknath Easwaran’s Thought for the Day
May 16

What we hope ever to do with ease, we must first learn to do with diligence.
– Samuel Johnson

Plain old inertia is the underlying cause of many of our day-to-day difficulties. You will be feeling listless, oppressed, weighted down by lassitude; you won’t want to do anything at all. You may feel persecuted: “Why shouldn’t I sit around if I feel like it?” You may feel you are not in the best condition physically, with aches and pains that nobody understands.

To release yourself from this inertia, the first step is physical. The worst thing you can do is rest. Rest is what you have been doing; what is required is to get moving on something. Superficial physical symptoms may come by way of protest: a dull, throbbing headache, nerves on edge, a head as heavy as your heart. Get up and go for a walk – and walk fast, even if you don’t feel equal to it. Try to walk a little faster than you feel you can.

After ten minutes or so you will find yourself breaking through that physical lethargy. Keep walking, and you will see that the rhythm of your breathing has improved, your spirits are lighter, you are ready to face the next challenge of the day.

http://www.easwaran.org/nilgiri.cfm/pageid:516

National Geographic Wallpaper

Gorgeous photos from national parks:

http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/gallery/parks-gallery_acadia-forest-and-fog.html

Honoring All Experiences (even the bad ones)

"May 15, 2008
When Pain Comes Our Way
Honoring All Experiences

Honoring the experiences we have in our lives is an invaluable way to communicate with life, our greatest teacher. We do this when we take time at night to say what we are thankful for about our day and also when we write in a journal. Both of these acts involve consciously acknowledging the events of our lives so that they deepen our relationship to our experiences. This is important because it brings us into closer connection with life, and with the moment. Only when we acknowledge what’s happening to us can we truly benefit from life’s teachings.

It is especially important when pain comes our way to honor the experience, because our natural tendency is to push it away and move past it as quickly as possible. We tend to want to brush it under the rug. Yet, if we don’t, it reveals itself to be a great friend and teacher. As counterintuitive as it seems, we can honor pain by thanking it and by welcoming it into the space of our lives. We all know that often the more we resist something, the longer it persists. When we honor our pain, we do just the opposite of resisting it, and as a result, we create a world in which we can own the fullness of what life has to offer.

We can honor a painful experience by marking it in some way, bringing ourselves into a more conscious relationship with it. We might mark it by creating a work of art, performing a ritual, or undertaking some other significant act. Sometimes all we need to do is light a candle in honor of what we’ve gone through and what we’ve learned. No matter how small the gesture, it will be big enough to mark the ways in which our pain has transformed us, and to remind us to recognize and value all that comes our way in this life."

http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2008/13753.html

Vatican says we can believe in aliens

Well I'm glad we got this cleared up!

"VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican's chief astronomer says that believing in aliens does not contradict faith in God. The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, says that the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

In an interview published Tuesday by Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Funes says that such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures.

The interview was headlined "The extraterrestrial is my brother." Funes said that ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom. "

Source: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D90KSE100&show_article=1

Mother's Day 08

As you may know, every year for mother's day my mom, sister and niece go on a little trip together. This year due to money and time issues we decided to just stay around home and have a sleepover at Mom's.

Saturday Mom, Sis and I spent the afternoon in Huntington. Niece didn't think that sounded very exciting, so she opted to stay home and go to her soccer game and join us later. We had great weather and a pleasant drive up. We had lunch at our fav restaurant, Chili Willi's and shopped at Pullman Square. I used to live in Huntington but Pullman Square was built after I moved away. And even though I go there at least a few times a year if not more, I had never been there! I don't think I had ever even driven by it. It's such a nice, pretty area. There are several restaurants and shops, a horse drawn carriage you can ride, and a pretty fountain (where we took the pics I posted yesterday). It was also graduation day for Marshall University so there were a lot of people around. There's a very nice book store there, Empire Books and News and that's the only place at Pullman Square I bought anything, Louise Hay's "You Can Heal Your Life", which I've been meaning to get for some time. I guess I'll put it with the pile of other books I intend to read. :-O I haven't even finished A New Earth yet!

After we left Pullman Square we drove by Ritter Park just to enjoy the view. Did some more shopping on the way home at the new Wal-Mart in Hurricane. Then picked up Niece and spent the rest of the evening at Mom's eating pizza, talking and playing 20 Questions.

On Sunday the weather was not as good and it rained and stormed most of the day. We picked up Nephew and went to Cracker Barrel for brunch. Then drove to Charleston to the Barack Obama HQ to try to get tickets to see him speak the next day, but they'd already been given away.

We stopped by the Capitol Market to shop for flowers and plants. Then a trip to Dairy Queen for dessert.

After we took Mom home, Sis and I and the kids went to my Dad's to take flowers to Step-Mom and had a short visit with them. I dropped Sis and her family off at the house and then headed home.

We had a great time and we all agered it didn't matter where we go for our "trip", so long as we do it together. I think we had as much fun staying around here as we have anywhere else we've gone. I love hanging out with my family. I am so lucky to have them.

DVR Alert: Brian Weiss

From Hay House:

"Watch Dr. Brian Weiss on Oprah!
Hay House author Brian Wiess, M.D., bestselling author of Many Lives, Many Masters, will be a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show this coming Tuesday, May 13th, 2008!

Dr. Weiss astonished the world of psychiatry with his theories of past-life regression therapy and has become known as the nation’s foremost expert in the field. Dr. Weiss is a graduate of Columbia University and Yale Medical School, and is the former Chairman of Psychiatry at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami. The theme of the show will focus on his work exploring past life regressions. Details are posted here: http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200805/tows_past_20080513.jhtml

Mark your calendar now to ensure you tune in to The Oprah Winfrey Show scheduled to air across the United States on May 13th, 2008. Check local listings for show times in your area."

This week's quote

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks about changing themselves." - John Randolph

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom and Sis!!!

 

 

Whitewater Grill (for Charleston folks)

Whitewater Grill at the Marriott has a lunch buffet every day - around $8 which includes your drink. Wednesday is Husband's favorite day (roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, etc.). Tuesday is make your own taco day - we haven't been to that one yet.

Friday is fish day. Today they had salmon with a Marker's Mark glaze, wild rice, mixed vegetables and german chocolate cake.

I don't like salmon so I ordered quesadillas from the menu. All the food we have had there has been very good. Maybe next week we'll figure out what chicken day is and go then.

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8 Healthy Habits for Weight Loss

"Eat slowly. Chewing and swallowing your food at a leisurely pace can help you keep from overeating. ... It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to "tell" you when you feel full. Until then, you continue to feel hungry and want to eat. ... .

Make changes gradually. Don't expect to change your diet and activity level overnight. Instead of switching all at once to a low-calorie eating plan, try gradually decreasing the calories of your meals and snacks. ... .

Keep a record. Keeping a daily log of what you eat and what physical activities you engage in can help keep you motivated to stay with your diet and exercise plan. ... .

Seek social support. You'll find it easier to maintain behavioral changes if you have the support and encouragement of others. ... .

Use a list when buying food. Stick to your grocery list, and steer clear of those aisles or areas with the kinds of calorie-dense foods that you need to avoid.

Out of sight, out of mind. At home, put the most tempting foods high up in the cupboard, at the very back of the fridge, or in other inconvenient spots. ... .

Don't go all out when eating out. Eat a low-calorie snack before going out; you're less likely to go off your diet if you're feeling full when you get to the party or restaurant. Go elsewhere for after-dinner coffee so you are less tempted to segue right into dessert.

Make a plan for special occasions. Decide how much you're going to eat before an event, and do your best to stick with that plan. ... .

Be a copycat. When eating with a group of people, look around. Who's eating the least? Who has the healthiest food on their plate? Model your eating habits on those people's.

Find physical activities that you enjoy. For example, if you don't like exercising outdoors on cold days, join a fitness club, or get an exercise bicycle and hand weights to use at home. If the problem is a time crunch, exercise in increments of 10 minutes whenever you have the time — before work, after work, or during your lunch hour.

Reduce stress. If you overeat when you are under stress, find a stress-reduction method that works for you: meditation, relaxation techniques, listening to music, exercising, or talking to a friend."

More here: How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off: Adopting Healthier Habits

Container Gardening

Along with my plants in the ground, I have one tomato, one cucumber and one green pepper plant in containers. As well as one tomato in an upside down container, with basil planted on the top of the planter.

I still need to go back and get a grape tomato plant (I thought I had one but got the wrong one) and rosemary. Maybe garlic too, if I can find some.

Some info on container gardening:

"Here is a sample of things you can grow at home.

Small pots can be used to grow herbs of all kinds: basil, chives, oregano, rosemary and many more

Crops in an 8 inch pot: garlic

Crops for a 2 gallon pot: cucumber, squash, peppers, eggplant

Crops that can be grown in a 5 gallon windowbox: lettuce, onion, radishes, spinach, carrots, beans

Crops for a 5 gallon pot: 1 plant each (3 in a 15 gallon pot): broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, chinese cabbage, tomatoes

More here: http://drknow.newsvine.com/_news/2008/01/19/1238898-container-gardening-for-city-folk-saving-money-on-food

Bug Bites

I have bug bites all over my lower arms, back of my hand, fingers and they are driving me CRAZY itching. At first I thought that it was because I walked down by the river Monday and they started getting bad Monday evening, but I think it must have been the gardening on Sunday, because I had my hands down in the dirt. The dirt I was working in had a bunch of little ants around it but I didn't think they were where I was working. And I saw several spiders too. I don't know but I hope it goes away.

I thought they were mosquito bites at first. I decided to try some home remedies last night for itch relief.

Salt. First I tried this. I wet the areas and rubbed them with salt. That did give some relief but it didn't last very long.

Deodorant: I rubbed stick deodorant over them when I went to bed. Nothing.

Toothpaste: Over top of the deodorant I rubbed toothpaste. That was probably the best but still didn't give complete relief.

Before I tried these I was using hydrocortisone and still am. I guess I just have to wait it out.

More home remedies for mosquito bites here:

http://www.home-remedy.org/home-remedies-for-mosquito-bites.html

Stop Thinking This is All There Is

Stop thinking this is all there is...

Realize that for every ongoing war and religious outrage and environmental devastation, there are a thousand counter-balancing acts of staggering generosity and humanity and art and beauty happening all over the world, right now, on a breathtaking scale, from flower box to cathedral.

Resist the temptation to drown in fatalism, to shake your head and sigh and just throw in the karmic towel.

Realize that this is the perfect moment to change the energy of the world, to step right up and crank your personal volume; right when it all seems dark and bitter and offensive and acrimonious and conflicted and bilious... there's your opening!

And, finally, believe you are part of a groundswell, a resistance, a seemingly small but actually very, very large impending karmic overhaul, a great shift, the beginning of something important and potent and unstoppable.

Mark Morford (Adapted)
Newspaper Columnist and Yoga Instructor

via Inspiration Peak

Advice from a Tree

Advice from a Tree
By Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend,

Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter

Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light

Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots

Enjoy the view!

Copyright 1993-2003 Your True Nature, Inc. For Advice from a Tree books, journals, posters and other nature products, visit www.YourTrueNature.com or call 800-992-4769.

"All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it." - Samuel Butler

Hocking Hills Getaway

Last week Dave and I took a little vacation in the Hocking Hills of Ohio. Travelogue and photos are here:

http://auntsissy.com/photos/hocking08/